China sets out nuclear plans for 2017

China will complete construction of five nuclear power reactors and start construction of eight more in 2017, according to plans released by the country's National Energy Administration (NEA). Planning for a further eight reactors will also be progressed this year.

In its Energy Work Guidance Opinion for 2017, published on 10 February, the NEA said construction will be completed of the Sanmen 1 and Haiyang 1 AP1000 units, the Taishan 1 EPR and the Fuqing 4 and Yangjiang 4 CPR-1000 units. These, together with "other projects", will add some 6.41 GWe of nuclear generating capacity, it said.

The NEA's plan calls for the safe development of nuclear power. It said it will actively promote the construction of "qualified" nuclear power projects and there would be an orderly approval of coastal projects. There will be continued implementation of major nuclear power science and technology projects to promote the construction of the high-temperature gas-cooled demonstration project in Shidaowan in Shandong province. It also said it would "prudently" promote the preliminary work of small reactor demonstration projects and "actively explore the comprehensive utilisation of nuclear energy".

The Administration plans to start construction of eight units during this year, but it did not name them or state the type of reactors they will feature.

Preparatory work is also to be carried out this year on a further eight units. These include units 3 and 4 of Sanmen, Ningde units 5 and 6, and two units each at new plants at Zhangzhou in Fujian province and Huizhou in Guangdong province. Together with other projects, these will add 9.86 GWe of nuclear generating capacity.

The NEA also said China will promote the export of its nuclear power technology. It is to carry out follow-up cooperation work related to the planned construction of units at Karachi, Pakistan, as well as promote the implementation of the Hualong One reactor design in the UK.

The country will also strengthen its nuclear cooperation with other countries, including Russia and the USA. It will also seek "steady progress" on nuclear power project cooperation with Argentina, Romania and Turkey.

China, the NEA said, would be involved in the reorganisation of France's Areva. Last month, Areva said the capital of New Areva - the entity comprising Areva's nuclear fuel cycle activities ahead of the sale of its reactor business to EDF - "remains open" for an investment by CNNC.

China's operating nuclear generating capacity will double over the next five years under the country's recently-published 13th Five-Year Plan. Under that plan, over the next five years China aims to have all four Sanmen and Haiyang AP1000 units in operation by the end of this year. It also aims to develop Hualong One demonstration projects at Fuqing and Fangchenggang and begin construction on the CAP1400 demonstration project at Shidaowan. China will also start building a number of coastal nuclear power plants and carry out preliminary work for inland projects.

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News